Maybe it’s in my blood — my parents both grew up by the sea — or the alignment of the stars when I was born — I am a Cancer — but for whatever reason, I have always been drawn to the ocean. I had never lived near the ocean, however, until I moved to
San Francisco
Third Grade Field Trip to Angel Island
Growing up on the East Coast, I knew about Ellis Island, where my great-grandmother arrived alone in 1907 as a nineteen-year old Polish immigrant, but I had never even heard of its West Coast equivalent, Angel Island. When I moved to San Francisco with my family nine years ago, however, Angel Island soon burst onto my
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San Francisco
My Mount Davidson Walk
In a city famous for its hills, San Francisco’s highest peak, 938-foot Mount Davidson, remains largely unknown to both city residents and visitors alike. Yet for those of us living in the patchwork of residential neighborhoods that cluster around it, collectively referred to as “West of Twin Peaks,” Mount Davidson is a familiar part of
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South Africa
Dassies: The Next Best Thing to Elephants
*** Warning: This post contains content that may be considered inappropriate for children! *** While we did not have time for a safari, we nevertheless saw relatives of one of the so-called “Big Five” game animals on our recent trip to South Africa. These were dassies, the South African name for an animal also known as
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South Africa
Too Much Eating & Drinking in Cape Town & The Stellenbosch
A week or so before we left for Cape Town, my husband, Matt, and I received an email message from our Italian-South African friend, Gianfranco, whose 50th birthday celebration was the cause for our trip. He instructed us, in no uncertain terms, that we were not to bring gifts. Instead, he said: “I want you